Hero’s Happen Here – Detroit Launch

Attended Microsoft’s Hero’s Happen Here launch event today, in downtown Detroit. Each “launch” since windows XP seems to be less and less of an event. Sure, Microsoft knows how to host an event, logistics, registration, even swag – its pretty good. However, my biggest critisism comes to the lack-luster presentations, as there just doesnt seem to be much that fires up the crowd(s).

Ok, yes, i know, its a technology conference, yet there’s a different feel to conferences in the midwest, not sure if vendors lower the bar, or the audience itself is to blame? Firstly, there’s the ongoing issue, that not a single “demo” works – its actually become comical, somebody, somewhere, put some accountability on presenters to showcase demos that actually work!

I found myself sitting in the SQL 2k8 track most the day, as it was the area i knew the least about, win2k8 & vs2k8 has been covered pretty well in recent events and the press, and both, to me, represent evolutionary, not revolutionary releases. Sure there’s some cool new stuff, but nothing that makes me race back to the office and start playing with the bits (quite possibly because, we’ve already been doing some experimenting – but still) – so I was anxcious to get under the hood of sql 2k8, and after several hours, this release also seems consistent with my previous assessment. I’ll be posting my notes in the next couple days, for those interested.

One thing not covered at all, which is still odd to me, is Service Broker. Is anybody using it besides us? It’s easily the most under-utilized feature (originally surfaced in sql 2k5), which after a brief chat at the experts-panel, sounds like it may soon be getting some much-deserved attention, now that micorosoft has officially pulled the plug on notification services. In any event, I’d give this event a 4, on my 1-10 scale, but am thankful for the swag (a msft lunch box & copies of: vista/visual studio/windows 2k8 and latest sql bits (as sql isnt yet shipping.)